Boris Epshteyn lobbied Trump to appoint Matt Gaetz as attorney general without chief of staff's knowledge
Boris Epshteyn, a Republican lawyer facing felony charges, lobbied Donald Trump to appoint Matt Gaetz as attorney general. Trump announced Gaetz's selection unexpectedly, leading to Gaetz's resignation from Congress. The decision to nominate Gaetz reportedly came together just hours before the announcement while he was on Trump's plane. Epshteyn played a key role in this process, while Trump's chief of staff, Susan Wiles, was unaware of the plan. Wiles, who recently became Trump's first female chief of staff, had previously managed his campaign effectively. Her role included overseeing the flight manifest, but she was not involved in the Gaetz nomination discussions.